Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre freestyle

{{Short description|none}}

{{Infobox Olympic event

|event = Women's 100 metre freestyle

|games = 2012 Summer

|image = London 2012 Aquatics Centre March.jpg

|image_size = 300px

|caption = The London 2012 Aquatics Centre

|venue = London Aquatics Centre

|date = 1 August 1, 2012 (heats &
semifinals)
2 August 2012 (final)

|competitors = 50

|nations = 44

|win_value = 53.00 {{OlyR|swimming}}

|gold = Ranomi Kromowidjojo

|goldNOC = NED

|silver = Aliaksandra Herasimenia

|silverNOC = BLR

|bronze = Tang Yi

|bronzeNOC = CHN

|longnames=yes

|prev = 2008

|next = 2016}}

{{SwimmingAt2012SummerOlympics}}

The women's 100 metre freestyle event at the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on 1–2 August 2012 at the London Aquatics Centre in London, United Kingdom.{{cite web|url=http://www.2012.nbcolympics.com/swimming/results-schedules/index.html|title=Swimming: Results & Schedules|work=London 2012|publisher=NBC Olympics|date=29 July 2012|access-date=7 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130703184425/http://www.2012.nbcolympics.com/swimming/results-schedules/index.html|archive-date=3 July 2013}}

Dutch swimmer Ranomi Kromowidjojo swam to a new Olympic record to become the country's third gold medalist in the event, along with Rie Mastenbroek in 1936 and Inge de Bruijn in 2000. In fourth place at the halfway turn, she pulled ahead of a tightly packed field to touch the wall first and improve her own record in 53.00.{{cite news|title=Kromowidjojo wins women's 100 free with OR|url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/kromowidjojo-wins-womens-100-free-with-or/|publisher=Fox News|date=2 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013}}{{cite news|title=Flying Dutchwoman: Kromowidjojo cruises to gold|url=http://washingtonexaminer.com/flying-dutchwoman-kromowidjojo-cruises-to-gold/article/feed/2019370|publisher=Washington Examiner|date=2 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062847/http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/flying-dutchwoman-kromowidjojo-cruises-to-gold/article/feed/2019370|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Belarus' Aliaksandra Herasimenia was in the lead on the first length under a world-record pace, but faded down the stretch to win the silver medal in 53.38.{{cite news|title=Herasimenia claims silver at London 2012|url=http://news.belta.by/en/main_news?id=688964|publisher=Belarusian Telegraph Agency|date=3 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130710161358/http://news.belta.by/en/main_news?id=688964|archive-date=2013-07-10|url-status=dead}} China's Tang Yi swam a fast final lap for the bronze medal in 53.44.{{cite news|title=China's Tang Yi bags bronze medal in women's 100m freestyle|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua/2012-08-03/content_6623692.html|publisher=China Daily|date=2 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013}}{{cite news|title=2012 London Olympics: Ranomi Kromowidjojo Clinches 100 Free Gold With Olympic Record; Aliaksandra Herasimenia, Tang Yi Get Silver-Bronze; Missy Franklin, Jessica Hardy Miss Podium|url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/31549.asp|publisher=Swimming World Magazine|date=2 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105180018/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/31549.asp|archive-date=2013-11-05|url-status=dead}}

Australia's Melanie Schlanger finished fourth in 53.47, while American teenage sensation Missy Franklin finished in fifth place in 53.64.{{cite news|title=Melanie Schlanger rues missing 100m free medal|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/london-games/melanie-schlanger-rues-missing-100m-free-medal/story-fne3a96w-1226441945894|publisher=The Australian|date=2 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013}} Great Britain's home favorite Francesca Halsall (53.66), Denmark's Jeanette Ottesen (53.75), who shared the title with Herasimenia at the 2011 World Championships, and U.S. swimmer Jessica Hardy (54.02) finished in sixth through eighth place.{{cite news|title=Soni wins gold, breaks world record in 200m breast|url=http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&itemid=4638&mid=8712|publisher=USA Swimming|date=2 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013}}

Before the breakthrough finale, Kromowidjojo swam a top-seeded time of 53.05 to slice 0.07 seconds off the previous Olympic record set by Germany's defending champion Britta Steffen, who later missed the final roster with a twelfth-place finish (54.18) in the semifinals.{{cite news|title=2012 London Olympics: The Netherlands' Ranomi Kromowidjojo Clips Olympic Record in 100 Free Semis; Missy Franklin, Jessica Hardy Make Finals|url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/31521.asp|publisher=Swimming World Magazine|date=1 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527002844/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/31521.asp|archive-date=2013-05-27|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Nathan Adrian of U.S. wins 100-meter freestyle gold medal by smallest of margins|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nathan-adrian-of-us-wins-100-meter-freestyle-gold-medal-by-smallest-of-margins/|publisher=CBS News|date=1 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013}}

Only 48 of the 50 swimmers registered in the event competed. Sweden's five-time Olympian Therese Alshammar suffered a pinched nerve in her neck, and skipped most of her events. Australia's Cate Campbell scratched her first individual race because of a glandular fever.{{cite news|title=2012 London Olympics: China's Tang Yi Posts Olympic Textile Best in 100 Free Prelims; Jessica Hardy, Missy Franklin Advance; Defending Champ Britta Steffen In|url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/31509.asp|publisher=Swimming World Magazine|date=1 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927074318/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/31509.asp|archive-date=27 September 2013}}{{cite news|last=Wordsworth|first=Matt|title=Cate Campbell pulls out of 100m freestyle|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-01/cate-campbell-pulls-out-of-100m-freestyle/4170566|publisher=ABC News Australia|date=1 August 2012|access-date=10 July 2013}}